The beauty industry is all about flawlessness and perfection, but embracing the ‘real’ self and showcasing it to the world with pride is what makes Nishtha Dudeja – crowned Miss Deaf Asia 2018 – a real achiever. The first Indian girl to win the title at the Miss Deaf World pageant, she was awarded the prestigious title at the 18th edition of Miss and Mister Deaf World, Europe-Asia Beauty Pageant 2018 held at Prague in the Czech Republic.
Nishtha represented India on the international platform at the Deaflympics 2013 (held in Bulgaria), the World Deaf Tennis Championship 2015 (in the UK), and the Deaflympics 2017 (in Turkey).
A professional tennis player for 10 years, it was an accident that changed her career path completely. “In June 2016, I had jaw pain which got worse by August. The doctor advised me not to play tennis since it involved intensive training. At first, it was heart-wrenching. Tennis was my life and my whole schedule depended on tennis. It took quite some time for me to come to terms with this,” she confesses, adding, “I was shocked, and decided in December 2016 to quit tennis after playing in Deaflympics-2017. Since the tennis career was over for me at that time, I had nothing to lose. Suddenly, I felt it’s time to start something new and trust the magic of a new beginning. It was then that I learnt through the internet of Miss Deaf India pageant. I told my dad that I would participate in it in 2018. In February 2017, the beauty pageant was held in Indore and we went to watch the event. I started preparing in August 2017 after returning from Deaflympics and the rest is history.”
Her journey from sports to beauty pageants wasn’t an easy– she literally had to undergo a 360-degree makeover to look like a pageant contestant. For a sportsperson like her, who donned sports shoes all her life, walking on the ramp in high heels was quite a challenge.
Speaking about the journey, she says, “Both the sports and beauty industry demand a very high level of physical fitness and a strict control over eating habits. I had a daily training schedule of five hours during my sports days which helped me keep fit and active. So I had to work very less on my fitness while preparing for the pageant. Still, I lost eight kilos and a few inches during these preparations and worked with Dr Varun Katyal to achieve my goal. I had to learn how to walk in heels. I also had to work on my sun-tanned face and body. But the most challenging bit was to learn dancing. I feel, highs and lows come in all professions including sports and beauty, and people do face injuries, over-exposure, competition etc. But rising after a low is very important. You need to have a positive attitude and a never-say-die attitude.”
Being hearing impaired since birth, Nishtha started using hearing aids at the age of three and had to work very hard for the development of her speech and linguistic skills.However, attending normal school helped her immensely and she can easily communicate in both Hindi and English. She credits all the success to her supportive family.
The beauty title gave Nishtha a new identity and empowerment, and since her victory, she has been getting a lot of affection from people wherever she goes. After winning the title, Nishtha, 23, is brand ambassador for a hearing aid company and is yet to decide if she wants to pursue a career in the glam world.
A commerce graduate from Sri Venketeswara College, Delhi, she is presently pursuing M.A. in Economics from Mithibai College, Mumbai. Her story is a perfect example of how life does not go as perfectly as we plan, and everyone goes through bad patches in life but getting upset really does not help.
